Nautilus Under Sea, Mexico

Name: Socorro - Giant Mantas, Sharks and Dolphins (Cabo San Lucas - Cabo San Lucas)
Start: 2026-12-02
End: 2026-12-10
Location: Mexico

9.0 Superb

Nitrox available
Jacuzzi / Hot Tub
En-Suite bathrooms
Aircon Cabins
Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
Warm Water Showers

from $ 299 / day Check dates

“This was our second trip on this boat and we have been 100% satisfied both times.”
Carolyn K, United States

Highlights

Ex-research vessel with unique history
Face-to-face encounters with Giant Pacific Mantas
Dolphins, whale sharks, hammerheads, and humpback whales

The latest addition to the Nautilus fleet in Mexico, the 27m Nautilus Under Sea offers divers spectacular dive tours to the Socorro Islands in Mexico. An ex-research vessel with her claims to fame, including being the support boat for the James Bond Movie "License to Kill" and a Deep Rover mission with Dr. Silvia Earle, as well as many research and photography missions, the former Under Sea Hunter, has now re-located to Mexico. She caters to 19 guests in 9 en-suite, air-conditioned cabins. The Undersea Hunter also offers plenty of room for relaxation, with a comfortable lounge and dining area and a large sun deck with loungers.

The dive deck offers ample space for kitting up and gear storage, as well as camera set-up and personal camera storage areas. The Nautilus Under Sea offers an amazing destination - the Socorro Islands. Diving the Socorro Islands, divers will come face to face with Giant Pacific Mantas, known as the friendliest mantas in the world! Also, there are sightings of up to 10 different kinds of sharks, dolphins, whale sharks, hammerheads, and humpback whales. Nautilus Under Sea offers 6-day trips with a pick-up in San Diego and leaving from Ensenada from July to November.

Don’t miss out on these amazing trips. Book online today to start your adventure.

Choose your departure date

Date

Itinerary

Price

Select

15 Aug

11 Days / 10 Nights

$ 3,695

Select Cabin only 2 spaces left

25 Aug

6 Days / 5 Nights

$ 1,845

FULL

13 Sep

7 Days / 6 Nights

Children Special: 20% OFF for ages 12–15. Valid for a limited time only. T&Cs apply. Male Shared Cabin.

$ 2,095 Deal %

Select Cabin only 1 space left

19 Sep

8 Days / 7 Nights

Children Special: 20% OFF for ages 12–15. Valid for a limited time only. T&Cs apply.

$ 2,645 Deal %

Select Cabin only 3 spaces left

26 Sep

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,545

FULL

03 Oct

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,745

FULL

10 Oct

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,645

FULL

17 Oct

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,195

Select Cabin only 2 spaces left

23 Oct

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,195

Select Cabin only 1 space left

16 Nov

9 Days / 8 Nights

$ 3,445

FULL

24 Nov

9 Days / 8 Nights

$ 3,445

FULL

02 Dec

9 Days / 8 Nights

$ 3,445

FULL

Included: Drinking Water, Soft drinks, Tea & Coffee, Welcome Cocktails, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Special Dinner, Diving Package, Kayaks, Stand Up Paddleboard, Cabin Towels, Complimentary Toiletries, Deck Towels.

Required Extras: 5% VAT, Dive Insurance, National Park Fees (100-192 USD / day), Port Fees (35 USD).

Optional Extras: Travel Insurance, Gratuities, Airport Transfer, Hotel Transfer, Alcoholic Beverages, Nitrox, Nitrox Course, Private Dive Guide, Rental Gear, Scuba Diving Courses, WiFi internet.

Book now, pay later: You can easily place your booking online. We will then hold the spaces for you and you can confirm with a payment later.

* Extra fees are shown per person.

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Best Price Guaranteed

Boat features

Jacuzzi / Hot Tub
En-Suite bathrooms
Aircon Cabins
Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
Warm Water Showers
Air Conditioned saloon
Sun Deck
Camera Station
Stand Up Paddleboard
Nearly 1:1 Crew-to-Guest Ratio
Kayaks On-Board
Seaview Cabins
Paid Internet
Non-Smoking Rooms
Custom built for diving
Charging stations
Indoor Saloon
Audio & video entertainment
Observation Deck
BBQ Area
Available for Charter
Local & International Crew
Snorkeling Equipment
Outside Showers
Leisure Deck
Daily housekeeping
Bar

Food & Drinks

Fine Cuisine
Vegan Options
Vegetarian Options
Free Soft Drinks
Beer available
Wine Available
Fine Wines Selection
Welcome Cocktails
Snacks All Day
Buffet style
Western Food
Local Food
Set Menu Dinner

If you have any specific dietary requirements whilst on-board your cruise, you can add this to your special requests on step 2 of the booking form. We advise limiting these requests to religious beliefs or food allergies.

Diving

Nitrox available
Shaded Diving Area
DIN Adaptors
Rebreather Support
Rinse Hoses
Dive deck
Tenders for diving
Sidemount Diving

Languages Spoken

The crew speaks English and Spanish.

Gear Rental

Equipment is available for rent on this boat. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. If the rental gear is not included in the price, you will need to pay for it on board the boat. Show prices

Drawings & Vessel Layouts

Cabin Types

Boat Specifications

Year built: 1968

Year renovated: 2016

Length: 105ft

Beam: 24ft

Top speed: 9.5 knots

Cruising speed: 9 knots

Engines: Twin Caterpillar 240 hp ( Total 480 HP )

Max guests: 19

Number of cabins: 9

Number of bathrooms: 9

Tenders: One 22 ft. heavy duty fiberglass dive boats One 17 ft. rigid bottom inflatable

Water capacity: 6000 gallons

Fuel capacity: 8000 gallons

Freshwater maker: 1800 gallons/day

Boat navigation and safety

Radar
Depth Sounder
GPS
Radio VHF/DSC/SSB
E.P.I.R.B. Distress System
Emergency Rafts
Life Vests
Fire Alarm & Fire Extinguishers
Oxygen
First Aid Kits
Satellite & mobile phones
Crew trained in first aid
Emergency flares

Nautilus Under Sea Reviews

9.0 Superb

Vessel

8.3
Crew

9.1
Food

9.5
Diving

9.3
Value

8.7

10 Exceptional
Andrea R
Mexico

It was incredible!
The entire crew worked incredibly well together and created such a fun, welcoming, and professional atmosphere onboard. We had an amazing experience onboard from beginning to end!
Recommended for
Marine life. Landscapes. Crew and people.
23 May, 2026

9.6 Exceptional
Maxim B
Netherlands

Beautifull divesites, awesome crew, boat and group!
Incredible trip. Enjoyed every second of it, both below and above surface.
Recommended for
Dive sites and animals. Vibe on board (crew and divers). Food.
29 Apr, 2026

8.4 Very good
Jacqueline S
United States

Amazing trip!
Overall, this was the best diving I have ever done. We had so many mantas, dolphins, sharks, whale sharks on every dive. The entire crew was friendly and helpful! I have a dietary restriction and the chef did a perfect job of accommodating me and the food was delicious. The boat itself is not the best, a little noisy and has treacherous stairs to the lower deck, I didn’t get hot water even one time in my room, and there was black soot/ash on the top deck that got all over my feet, clothes, everything. Despite this, overall amazing trip.
Recommended for
Marine life encounters. Guide and crew service. Overall amazing trip.
13 Jul, 2026

9.6 Exceptional
Thierry P
France

An unforgettable trip to be rescheduled in the coming years
Fabulous trip, whale sharks, dolphins, manta rays in one and the same dive.Manta rays on every dive.A top crew ranging from captain, first mate, cook, room manager, dive guides.... All at the top in their respective fields
Recommended for
qualities of the dive sites. quality of the boat's crew. quality of the food served.
02 Jul, 2026

Translated from French

9.6 Exceptional
Hélène P
France

Best diving trip with best crew
This trip to Socorro felt so special, we had an amazing crew taking care of us underwater and on the boat, we were diving so remotely that it felt really unique, the dives sites are magical. Really recommend Nautilus as it’s a really safe company and crew members are really awesome!
Recommended for
Amazing crew. Best diving experience. Excellent food.
21 Apr, 2026

10 Exceptional
Glen D
United States

Awesome crew, amazing diving, and well run operation.
Dolphins, hammerheads, tiger shark, mantas, and the wonderfully friendly crew. The food was good. The top deck can get a little fumey while motoring, so I'd encourage the boat to raise the smokestack or otherwise get creative with the exhaust fumes so that its more comfortable to hang out while motoring.
Recommended for
The crew was absolutely wonderful, the diving and competence of the crew were excellent, and the boat operated like clockwork.
17 Feb, 2024

9.2 Superb
Jon H
United Kingdom

An outstanding experience, I'll definitely dive with Nautilus again.
Sea lions! Who knew they were so much fun under water :) Good viz and great diving all-round, covering an excellent range of sites (and more dives than advertised - 16 vs the 12). Sundowners and beers (from a very well-stocked bar) under the stars. All made extremely easy and enjoyable by the wonderful staff.
Recommended for
The staff were all fantastic, friendly, extremely professional but also engendered a relaxed, enjoyable experience. The vessel is in good repair, well set up for diving and relaxing. And the trip is all made very easy and efficient by the shoreside support.
31 Oct, 2022

9.2 Superb
Bruce P
Canada

Excellent
Diving trip done in August 2025. We really enjoyed our time on the Nautilus Undersea. Crew was amazing and worked very hard at making we were happy and comfortable. Safety of guest was taken very seriously. Well organized. Swimming with Whale Sharks was great. We did one night dive and it was the best night dive we have ever done so far. Boat is a bit old but we were comfortable. No complaints at all. We are already planning our next dive trip in Socorro with them.
Recommended for
The crew. Diving. Food.
18 Aug, 2025

10 Exceptional
Philip K
Germany

Very friendly giant mantas
great islands great sea creatures great ship great crew great adventure
Recommended for
Giant Mantas. Hammerhead sharks. Dolphins.
07 Dec, 2025

8.8 Fabulous
Vlad P
Germany

Superb cruise
Great atmosphere on the boat, the dive guides are superb. 4 dives a day, we saw everything: hammerheads nearby, a whale shark, tiger shark 2 times, and then other sharks and mantas by the dozen
Recommended for
Solo dives. The best suites - Roca Partida, Cañon, Bo I ler.... Manras, sharks and dolphins all the time, very close.
02 Mar, 2026

Translated from French

62 reviews

9.0 Superb
62 Verified Reviews

Sort reviews by:

9.2 Superb
Richard L
Canada

Amazing Liveaboard Experience with exceptional diving
I would recommend this trip to any diver interested in exceptional diving.
Recommended for
The wildlife encounters were amazing, from pelagic mantas on almost every dive, to 5 different types of shark, some huge, and a school of 1000+ 50 kg to 150 kg yellow fin tuna. Amazing!. The crew was amazing. The captain's leadership in delivering customer satisfaction. From driving zodiac skiffs, to clearing tables on occasion, nothing escaped his attention to detail. All efforts directed at delivering the best experience possible for the divers. The passengers gelled rapidly, with participants from Argentina, Brazil, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Taiwan, Canada and the U S.
30 Jan, 2026

8.4 Very good
Justin J
United States

Great value
Was great to dive somewhere new
Recommended for
Diversity in sea of cortez. crew effort. lots of diving.
16 Sep, 2025

8.0 Very good
Gwendoline U
France

An absolutely magical journey
The magnificent dives, the jacuzzi to warm up, the good meals and the great atmosphere
Recommended for
Manta rays, sharks, and the atmosphere on the boat
06 Jan, 2024

9.6 Exceptional
Philippe G
France

Fantastic Meetings with Great White Shark
- Hunting Great Whites- Blue Sea- again... Great White Sharks each Day
Recommended for
- Big Sharks / Nice Crewe and good Food / to be in Guadalupe
26 Aug, 2019

Translated from German

10 Exceptional
Scott T
United States

The ship and the crew made for a wonderfully delightful dive trip experience.
Of course, the CALIFORNIA SEA LIONS!!! Such beautiful animals. They are comfortable with divers and getting to experience them up close and personal is something i'll remember until my dying day.
Recommended for
I can't say enough about the care that the crew showed for all of us on board. Everyone was incredibly attentive to my needs. The food, dive guides, captain and steward were, not only incredibly competent, but carried out their duties with a care to detail and fun loving attitudes. Really, a fantastic trip.
18 Oct, 2023

9.2 Superb
Ernesto R
United States

Dive of a lifetime.
Some of the best diving I've ever done. Great staff with loads of knowledge. Calm seas. All types of sharks. Ah the whale shark tried to kiss me. If you see dolphins, instead of pointing a camera at them, play with them. Spin and flip. They'll join you.
Recommended for
Captain beto. Bati dive guide. Helpful staff.
12 Jun, 2026

10 Exceptional
Thomas R
Germany

Spectacular shark encounters
The almost 6m tall "Lucy" and another female of almost the same size, which were often very close to the cages. Sighting of a total of almost 30 different great white sharks. The information from the professional crew about the sharks and their distinguishing features was also great. This gives guests the opportunity to photograph a shark that has not yet been registered and to give it a name. The spectacular jumps of the sharks out of the water were also sensational.
Recommended for
A great experience to experience the great white sharks so closely, the warmth of the crew and the possibility of unlimited cage diving.
15 Nov, 2018

9.2 Superb
Wilhelmus R
Netherlands

Excellent dive trip, seen a lot, professional friendly crew, well organized,
Spending hours with Mantas with very close encounters, dolfins close by, wales nearby, many sharks 7 types.
Recommended for
Team spirit and positive atmosfeer. good food and service. engaged proff. divemasters.
01 Apr, 2020

10 Exceptional
Frank V
Netherlands

A trip to a super place in the world that we will not soon forget because of these people
impression of the trip was "WOW" the people make your trip we always say and these people certainly did, especially our host did his best to make everyone feel at home, the dive guides do their best to show everything underwater
Recommended for
Staff, food and diving were fantastic. Safety on board is very high and well arranged. Care for diving due to the weather was well arranged.
23 Apr, 2026

Translated from Dutch

10 Exceptional
Shelley S
United States

A must do trip for divers!
Even though the water was a bit chilly this liveaboard was a trip that I’d definitely want to do again and again. The crew worked together so well. It was like we were all a family by the end of the week. The food was delicious. The mantas and the sharks and the dolphins were incredible. At times I wondered if it was all real. The hot tub on top is a nice treat.
Recommended for
Animal life, seclusion, crew
25 Jun, 2024

8.8 Fabulous
MAGDALENA B
Netherlands

Great experience
Great white sharks, great crew and participants, well organised
Recommended for
abundant great white sharks, amazing crew, comfortable boat
07 Dec, 2017

10 Exceptional
Philip H
United Kingdom

Fantastic diving at amazing locations
Fantastic diving at amazing locations. The boat is comfortable and there were no problems on our trip.
Recommended for
Amazing diving. Friendly and professional crew and dive guides. Other guests.
15 Dec, 2025

10 Exceptional
alberto R
Mexico

Big schools of fish
Sea lions and huge schools of surgeons
Recommended for
Service, crew sea lions
24 Sep, 2023

6.8 Review score
Martin S
Denmark

Long travel but worth it.
Tigershark, Dolphin, Hammerhead and more. Very remote location and a good spot for the big stuff.
Recommended for
In my book, the food on board earns a Michelin star or two. Now, I need to get my weight down again.. A warm and friendly vibe, thanks to the lovely people on board. Improving my Spanish – the devil is in the details. "...Kalimotxo/Calimocho" vs. "...Cola Mucho" - huh.
01 Jul, 2025

8.4 Very good
Mace B
United States

Fixing the boat saved our trip!
Mechanical issues after first dive almost forced the crew to cancel the trip. Ricky the engineer saved the day after working all night. Socorro is one of best places to dive, and all our crew were amazing!
Recommended for
Amazing diving. Great crew and hospitality. Incredible meals.
23 Dec, 2025

7.2 Good
Tomasz B
United States

Whale sharks, sea lions, and mobulas in Sea of Cortez - the highlight of my summer
The highlights of the trip were the "Safari" trips with speedboats. The diving part was not that spectacular, although interesting - we had about 20 dives total, which seems not much for a 9 day trip (the trip technically is 11-day event, per the description, but we arrived after 6pm and left the boat at 8:30am, so no activities on those days) The program promises a lot of other activities and sea creatures, but I am happy with I saw and encountered. The whale sharks were definitely a unique experience, although I have mixed feelings about that, as I think that in some way we disturbed their peaceful day jumping around them and swimming quite close to them - they were not going away, so I hope that they were not stressed very much. The crew was very good and helpful both on the diving side as the boat service side. I wish the information would be better. The cabins and boat equipment was basic, but I did not expect much more. I am very happy with this trip!
Recommended for
Whale sharks at Bahia de Los Angeles. Orcas. Sea Lions at the Isla San Pedro Martir.
02 Aug, 2026

9.6 Exceptional
Joel G
United States

best trip for the price
getting bumped by a great white and loosing balance in the cage.
Recommended for
Sharks, sharks and a sea lion chasing a small juvenile white.
12 Sep, 2018

8.4 Very good
Richard W
United States

White shark express
The crew went out of their way to make your experience a fantastic and memorable one. The opportunity to see multiple white sharks from up close was amazing. There was never a wait to get into a cage so you could essentially soak as long as you wanted to! Would recommend this trip and boat.
Recommended for
Experience white sharks up close in a controlled and safe manner for both the animals and guest, crew and service
27 Jul, 2021

10 Exceptional
Marie-Josee H
Canada

Adventurous, yet safe and confortable, unforgettable!
Whale shark, ball of fishes and swirdfish
Recommended for
The dive, the crew and the guests!
01 Apr, 2018

8.0 Very good
MARK E
United Kingdom

A pretty unique experience
The dive guides are very good, especially Rodolfo. They spot the sharks, mantas and dolphins usually before the group see's them. The food was also good, with no complaints of any illnesses. The boat and crew has a good attitude to safety and give some quite lengthy but essential safety briefings. My 2nd trip to Socorro, but hopefully there will be many more to come!
Recommended for
Wild dolphins that are tame and are not scared of divers. Manta's which love to hang around for most of the dive and interact with divers. Uncrowded dive sites with hardly any other dive boats around.
14 Jan, 2020